Loading machine



g 1931- R. E. JENKINS LOADING MACHINE Filed Dec. 3, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l ///fl//1 /4A In: I.

R. E. JENKINS:

LOADING MACHINE Filed Dec. 3, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v k. A n 5 i MN m orb Zlwuentoz duo: new

Patented Aug. 18, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOSSEB E. JENKINS, OF FARR, COLORADO LOADING MACHINE This invention relates to a loading machine and while applicable for gathering, elevating, and depositing materials of any nature, it is more particularly designed for use in 8 coal mines for gathering. and loading the broken-down coal into the mine cars. The principal ob'ect of the invention is to provide a device of t is character which can be easily operated within the confined spaces encountered in mines and which will efliciently gather the coal from a relatively wide area and deposit it into the mine cars.

Another object of this invention is to so construct the machine that it will be adaptable for use in rooms or tunnels of various sizes and shapes and so that it can be quickly and easily dismantled or folded, transported and erected in any desired location.

A further object of-this invention is to prop vide a loading machine which will require but a minimum of height and which can, if desired, be carried by and operated from a standard coal cutting machine.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efliciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the 90 invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like arts in all views of the drawing and throug out the description.- 7 v In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the im rove'd loadin machine as it would appear in operation.

ig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation.

In the drawings the machine has been illustrated in all of the figures as it would appear in a typical coal mine room.

The invention, can if desired, be mounted upon the regular motor box of any of the standard coal cutting machines, or may have an independent motor box such as indicated at 10. The motor box is preferably supported upon car wheels 11- adapted to run upon the regular mine track 12.

The invention comprises,

broadly speaking, a conveyor arranged to carry coal rearwardly over the motor box 10 and deposit it into the mine cars. The conveyor is fed by means of scrapers which gather and draw the coal upon the forward extremity of the 6B conveyor. All of the mechanism is driven from a suitable electric motor or other prime mover within the motor box 10.

The conveyor portion of the device compr1ses a travelling conveyor such as a belt conveyor 13 which travels over a rear drum 14 and a forward drum 15, there being intermediate idler drums 16 over which the belt 13 breaks ,to form a, forward inclined portlon and a rearward horizontal portion. The hor zontal portion terminates so as to deposit material into a mine carsuch as indicated at 17. .The conveyor belt 13 is suported by a suitable frame 18 and is provided with side plates 19 to maintain the coal thereon. 'It may be driven in any desired manner, such as by means of a sprocket chain 20 extending from a drive sprocket 21 on the motor box 10.

Two telescoping arms extend forwardly from a hinge joint 22 at each side of the motor box 10. Each of these telescoping arms comprises a series of relatively wide arm members 23, 24, and 25. The members 25 terminate in clips 26 which surround and slide along the members 24. The members 24 are provided with similar clips 27 which slide along the members 23, the latter being hinged to the hinge joints 22. The forward extremities of the members 23 and 24 are turned 5 inwardly as shown at 28 to limit the forward movement of the clips 26 and 27. The members 26 terminate in hinge pins 29 to which are hinged scrapers 30.

The two scrapers 30 are caused to drawv coal toward the conveyor by means of suitable cables and tackle operated from a pair of cable drums 31 and 32' projecting from the left and right sides respectively of the motor box 10. A left return cable 33 extends from the drum 31 through a guide pulley 34 and around a snatch block 35 to a connection with the left scraper 30. A right return cable 36 extends from the drum 32 around a guide pulley 37 and a snatch block 38 to the right scraper 30. The snatch blocks 35 and 38 are secured on roof jacks 39, preferably placed at each side of the room adjacent the breast thereof, indicated on the drawing at 40. A draw cable 41 extends from the left scraper 30 around a right idler block 42 and a left idler block 43 to the right scraper 30.

The drums 31 and 32 can be independently operated if desired from any suitable transmission mechanism within the motor box 10 or they may be mounted upon a common shaft 44 operated from a reversible motor within the motor box 10. In the latter case the cables 33 and 36 would be wrapped about the drums 31 and 32 in opposite directions so that when the shaft 44 rotates in one direction the cable 33 will be tightened and the cable 36 loosened and when the shaft rotates in the opposite direction the cable 36 will be tightened and the cable 33 loosened. The reversing of the shaft could be accomplished by any suitable motor control switches such as indicated at 45. It is preferred however, to use cable drums of the type provided with in ternal clutches so that the shaft 44 can be allowed to rotate continuously and the machine operated by alternately engaging the clutches. All of these methods are within the skill of a mechanic and the invention is not limited to any specific method of transmitting the power to the cables. This remains simply a matter of choice.

An apron plate 46 extends forwardly from over the forward extremity of the conveyor belt 13 so that material pushed upwardly on the apron 46 will be deposited upon the conveyor belt 13.

After a quantity of coal has been broken down the two roof jacks 39 are positioned as closely to the breast 40 as possible and adjacent the sides of the room. The operator then starts his conveyor belt 13 and causes the cable drums 31 and 32 to alternately wind in the return cables 33 and 36. The return cables will act through the draw cable 41 to alternately pull the scrapers 30 from their positions adjacent the breast 40 rearwardly 'upon the apron 46, and alternately drag and deposit a quantity of coal upon the conveyor belt 13. As each scraper returns to its forward position the opposite scraper will travel to the rearward or depositing position.

By this arrangement the entirearea between the breast and the conveyor can be quickly scraped free from loose coal and all of the-coal deposited into the mine cars. The telescoping arms allow free movement of the scrapers and yet they can be collapsed to a compact position alongside of the conveyor for transportation.

In some instances it may happen that the mine track 12 will be positioned along one wall'of the room, thus making it impossible to use both scrapers 30. In such a case onl one of the roof jacks 39 would be employed and the draw cable 41 would be led back to the opposite cable drum so that but a single scraper would function.

If the device is carried by a standard coal cutting machine the telescoping arms ma be conveniently attached to the side i lers thereof.

While a specific form of the imdprovement has been described and illustrate herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is r 1. A mine car loading machine comprising: a motor box; wheels supporting said box; a conveyor extending over said box and projecting rearwardly thereof; a downwardly inclined forward portion on said conveyor; hinged, telescoping arms extending forwardly at each side of said downwardly inclined portion; scrapers hinged at the forward extremities of said arms; a pair of cable drums carried by said motor box; and a cable connecting each of said cable drums with one of said scrapers so that each scraper will be actuated by an individual drum and means for interconnecting said scrapers so that they will actuate in unison.

2. A mine car loading machine comprising: a motor box; wheels supporting said box; a conveyor extending over said box and projecting rearwardly thereof; a downwardly inclined forward portion on said conveyor; hinged, telescoping arms extending forwardly at each side of said downwardly inclined portion; scrapers hinged at the forward extremities of said arms; cable drums carried by said motor box; means for supporting pulley blocks forwardly of said conveyor; a cable extending from one of said cable drums around one of said pulley blocks and attached to one of said scrapers; a similar cable similarly arranged with reference to the other cable drum and the other of said scrapers; and a third cable connected between both said scrapers and extending over guide pulleys supported from said conveyor so that when one of said scrapers is drawn toward said conveyor the other of said scrapers will be drawn away therefrom.

3. In a gathering and loading device for mine cars: a telescoping arm extending forwardly of said device; a scraper hinged at the extremity of said arm; and means for swinging and drawing said scraper toward and away from said device.

4. In a coal gathering and loading device having a receiving apron, means for placing coal on said apron comprising: telescoping arms hinged to said device at their one exy tremity; scrapers carried by said arms at their other extremity; means for alternately neiaais firavving said scrars upon an& away from said apron said means comprising: pulleys securea a distance from said; apron; and a cable extending irom a winding d on said 5 device over one of said pulleys to one of said scrapers, thence back to said device and to the other of saicl scrapers, thence over another of said pulleys and back to a second winoling dr on said device.

w 5. In a coal gathering an loading device having a receiving apron, means for placing coal on said apron comprising: telescoping arms hinge& to said device at their one extremity; scrapers carriedi by said arms at 15 their other extremity; means for alternately drawing said; scrapers upon and away from. saicl apron, saici arms comprising: a series of relatively flat liars, one extremity of each bar being arranged to slide along the preced- 20 ing bar; and means for limiting the sliding movements of said bars.

In testimony whereof I a my si ature.

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